Poetic Irony'
by WFROSE
Summary: You guys demanded a sequal to 'Very...VERY Thin Line Between...', Now live with the consequences (MUAHAHAHAHAHAAAA) [Complete]
1. Prologue

"Hey Akane!"  
  
"Hi Ukyo!" Akane greeted back, as she met her friendly rival fiancee at the gates of school. Ever since the American psuedo-holiday of 'April Fools', admittingly, all the fiancees, including Kodachi, have gotten along better. It's impressive how a good joke can bring four women who mostly hated each other's guts together. Why, just the other day all four of them went shopping in the Ginza! That was a great day!  
  
"Ranma snapped out of it yet?" Ukyo asked with a concerned tone. Akane's face scrunched up in irritation.  
  
"Nope, the jerk's still sulking about that prank. Come on, that was weeks ago!"  
  
Ukyo's face twisted in disconcertion, "I dunno, he seemed pretty... I dunno, catatonic?"  
  
"Believe me, he's just faking it to get attention," Akane answered sharply, "Don't get too concerned over it. Once he realizes no one cares about his temper tantrum, he'll be back to his usual, obnoxious self."  
  
"But Akane, he's been staring into space for five weeks. Your mother has to spoon feed him."  
  
Akane shrugged, "So? He's just going through the extra effort, you know how that idiot will go to all lengths to get back at us."  
  
"I still donno, sugar..."  
  
"I'll tell you what, if he doesn't stop this nonsense by the next week or so, we'll brain him for making us worry."  
  
"I don't think that'll solve the problem."  
  
They came to the divergance to take them on their separate ways, "Anyway, I'll see you at school tomorrow, okay?" Ukyo waved, as she walked straight, while Akane turned the corner. From an alley, someone stepped out from hiding, and while being careful still not to be seen, followed Akane around the corner...  
__________________________  
  
'Very... VERY Thin Line Between...'  
"Poetic Irony"  
__________________________  
  
Soun checked the clock, being careful not to fully take away his focus on the game board, lest his opponent... gain... the advantage, "Hmm, Akane seems to be running later than usual."  
  
Genma huffed, as he noticed Soun kept his attention well divided, "Ah, who knows with kids today, Tendou? For all we know she could be out doing drugs, getting a tattoo, having unprotected sex, or joining a Neo-Extremist-Right-Wing-Facist Party. I hear they're rather popular with the younger gener-"  
  
"MY. DAUGHTER. WOULD. *NOT*. GET. A. TATTOO!" Soun growled, face to face, with his old friend, showing his 'appreciation' for Genma's observation.  
  
"Heh, I'm sure she's perfectly fine," Genma replied nervously, "She's probably just held back at school... or something." Genma did well not to mention the mental image he had of Akane having her hair shaven into a swaztica.  
  
Genma caught sight of his wife heading from the kitchen with a bowl, and used the distraction as a change of subject "Hmm, it's that time already? My how it flies."  
  
"Yes, Dr. Tofu said we may want to change Ranma's feeding pattern to five meals a day, since he has such a fast metabolism. Especially since he could come out of it at anytime, now."  
  
"Feh, boy goes into shock, and he ends up eating better than I do!" Genma growled, raising his fist into the air. It was a brilliant ploy, as Soun's eyes followed it, allowing Genma to strategically reposition the board for advantage of terrain.  
  
"My, my son's so manly to have such dicipline to stay in meditation for so long!" Nodoka rationalized to herself, not really wanting to accept the fact that her son was doing an astute impression of a vegetable. She stopped by a drawer, and pulled out a bib with a cute little chickie on it; cleaning Ranma up after feeding was always such a trial.  
  
Before she could head upstairs, the front door opened. "Oh, hello, Nabiki," Kasumi greeted from the kitchen, have you seen... oh my." Nabiki walked from the kitchen, with a shocked expression on her extremely pale face. In her hand, she held part of a torn school uniform, along with the neclace Akane had borrowed from her that morning. Both were stained crimson.  
  
"A...Akane..." Nabiki tried to stutter, before turning a frightened expression to her father. Soun immidiatly picked up on his daughter's distress, and what the signs pointed to, and immidiately began to wail. Genma took the opportunity to make a few more extra-cirricular moves in his mutual game with Soun, and immidiately shot to his feet. He grabbed the torn garments with Akane's blood on it, and started to cry tears of dispair.  
  
"Oh, it's a terrible, tragic day for the Saotomes and Tendous, to lose such a cherished link.. er, member of our.. your family!" He then looked solomnly at Nabiki, "It is now your duty to marry the boy, do your sister proud by upholding family honor!"  
  
Nabiki snapped out of her fear-induced catatonic state real quick-like, "HEY!"  
  
"Well then, Kasumi?" Genma offered.  
  
"Oh yes, Nabiki would make an exellent choice!" Kasumi called out from her hiding place in the kitchen.  
  
"TRAITOR!" Nabiki screamed.  
  
"Well, there you have it!" Genma proclaimed, "But, first thing's first. The Boy must avenge his deceased fiancee's murder! Nodoka, go wake up the boy. This foolishness has gone on long enough!"  
  
"Dearest, we're not sure Akane's dead yet," Nodoka supplied with a tone of rationality, "Perhaps she's just wounded..." She looked at the heavily stained cloth in her husband's hand, "and crawling desperately toward medical attention..."  
  
"I'll call Dr. Tofu," Nabiki offered, finally glad the spotlight was off of her for the moment, and rushed for the phone.  
  
"AKANE's DEAAAAAAAADDDD!!!" Soun wailed.  
  
"Oh father, father, father," Kasumi admonished from her hiding place in the kitchen.  
  
Nodoka returned with a highly concerned expression.  
  
"Ranma... seems to be missing..."  
__________________________  
  
"Akane's missing? Ranma too?" Ukyo repeated over the phone. Her face grew worried, "I walked with her a bit from school, but I hadn't seen her since we went our separate ways." Ukyo's face changed to shock, "NO! I would NEVER do anything like that! We may have had our differences, but..."  
  
Ukyo's face changed once again to furiousness, causing Konatsu to turn in another direction and finish cleaning elsewhere, "Well, I see how far your 'trust' goes, Sugar. I'll help in the search for Ranchan Akane-chan, but don't you DARE blame me for this again, or we're going to have to straighten this out between us, with the business end of my spatula... NO THAT WAS NOT A MURDER THREAT!!! FINE! CALL THE POLICE, YOU JACKASS!"  
  
Ukyo slammed the phone down, and growled about irrational fathers. She then considered it, and became extremely worried again; Akane is missing, possibly murdered. Akane was a friend, and a good one, at that; being kidnapped by a prince was one thing, but by a crazy Ginzu weilding psycho serial socialpath schitzoid was something else entirely. Not only that, Ranma, who had been doing an impression of a statue for over a month, was also suddenly missing; it couldn't have been a coincidence.  
  
"Konatsu," Ukyo summoned. She knew that her employee was an exellent tracker, maybe he could find some clues as to what happened to Akane, "We're going to close early today, and I need you to see if you can find out what happened to Akane..."  
  
"Akane-sama? What's wrong?" Konatsu's face began to reflect the concern from Ukyo's.  
  
"That's what I need you to find out. Nabiki found scraps of Akane's uniform with her blood on it just a ways off where we would go our separate ways after school. I need you to start there, and see if you can find any clues. I'm going to go look for Ranma, he's apparently also gone missing. And so help me, if I found out anything had happened to my Ranchan..."  
  
"Alright, Ukyo-sama..." Konatsu turned to leave, but then turned his head back, "I hope she's alright..."  
  
"So do I, Sugar, so do I," Ukyo replied with extreme gravity in her voice. With that, Konatsu vanished into his search. Ukyo sighed, and went outside, pulling in her street sign and putting on the 'Closed' sign. Once she was done with that, she turned to begin a quick clean up. Just as she began, she heard the chimes on her door ring, signalling someone's entry.  
  
"I'm sorry, we're closed. Come back tomorrow, ok... OH!" Ukyo exclaimed in surprise. The only thing she was able to do next, was gasp...  
__________________________  
  
Konatsu returned with a disgruntled expression on his effimate face. He had dropped by the Tendous to find out where Nabiki had found the cloth, and checked the area himself. He was sure it was the area, but he could not find any evidence as to the happenings of Akane. Someone had cleaned the area up, removing what evidence that could have been there previously.  
  
He wasn't sure what to think about that. They left evidence there previously, and then decided to go back and clean up after whatever happened. Either they were very clumsy, or they wanted Nabiki to find that. The latter was his guess, since the necklace Nabiki let Akane borrow was what was found with the scrap. He was sure that nothing good happened to Akane.  
  
With a sinking feeling in his stomach, he entered Ucchans to report his findings. His eyes went wide at the sight before him, just before his stomach relieved itself involintarily... 


	2. Part 1

Ranma 1/2  
'Poetic Irony'  
Part 2  
  
  
  
"Damned disgusting, if I do say so, myself," one officer commented.  
  
"Yeah, I don't think I'm ever gonna eat another okonomiyaki again. Poor girl."  
  
"At least she's still alive, but that must have hurt like the dickens..."  
  
To the side, Kasumi was attempting to comfort the distraught Konatsu, as he attempted to explain to her, Nabiki, and Nodoka his discovery upon returning from his part of the search. Nabiki wasn't really paying attention, as the graphic details were getting to be a bit too much for her to stomach. The place still reeked of the acrid tang of blood, mingled with a vinager, lemon, and mirin sake sauce that Ukyo used.  
  
"Oh my, how awful," Kasumi exclaimed, "I hope Ukyo will be alright..."  
  
Soun arrived soon after returning from the search, finding the note at home to head to Ucchan's as soon as possible. His nose twisted at the slightly disturbing smell that he could not fully decipher, "Has Akane or Ranma been found? Why is everyone here? And what's that awful smell?"  
  
"They found Ukyo strung to the ceiling by her hands with multiple lacerations," Nodoka replied with a subdued tone that spoke of how unsettled she felt about the scene. She also left out the part about the sauce out, since she didn't even want to think about it.  
  
Soun nodded solumnly, "So, apparently she didn't have a hand in Akane and Ranma's dissappearance..."  
  
"What..." Konatsu hissed, suddenly turning his effimate face towards Soun, "... was that?"  
  
"Ah... um... you have my condolences. Ukyo was an outstanding young woman," Soun replied, bypassing the question.  
  
Further save came from Nodoka, "She's not dead, but it was close. The police stated that she had lost a lot of blood, apparently she had been there for quite some time."  
  
"I see."  
  
"You know?" Nabiki piped up, "First Akane, now Ukyo, and Ranma's missing. You don't suppose that the Amazon troupe had anything to do with this, do you?"  
  
"You mean the foreigners that run the Cat Cafe?" a police officer enquired, "doubtful, they were some of our first suspects, and they've been running their own restaurant the whole time." The Tendous and the Saotome looked at the officer curiously, before he smirked and continued, "You guy's fights are notorious throught Tokyo. We figured to check her rivals first."  
  
"Wait, did you check to make sure Shampoo was there at the time? She does make deliveries, and would have had the opportunity to sneak away without the Old Ghoul really knowing her whereabouts."  
  
"She was out on a delivery... going the opposite direction of town from here. Even contacted the households who made the orders to confirm it. One even said he recieved it piping hot in just less than thirty, as the Cat Cafe always promises, at seven-thirty or so. They highly reccommended the service, if not the great food. That's about twenty minutes before she arrived and found Miss Kuonji here, and Konatsu said she found her almost dead by that time."  
  
"Then that leaves that horrid Kuno girl," Soun almost growled, "I knew that family would bring us a great deal of strife!"  
  
"If you're referring to Kodachi Kuno, then that one turns up nill, too. She had a gymnastics tournament tonight, so she has an alibi, too."  
  
"Um, I recall Ukyo-sama speaking in great detail of her," Konatsu interjected, managing to keep his sobs at bay, "I trust her word, and I would find it difficult to believe that her opponent would have made it to compete against Miss Kuno."  
  
"Ah..." the officer coughed into his hand, "She didn't, actually, but..."  
  
"But Kodachi makes it a point to show up, anyway," Nabiki interrupted, "She likes to gloat, and then rub the opposing school's face in it."  
  
"Well, so you see..." the officer trailed off, knowing the point was made.  
  
"Do you even know what this could be about?" Nodoka asked, urgently.  
  
"We still have a few suspects, and I regret having to state that Konatsu is indeed one of them."  
  
The kunoichi looked up incredulously, "Me?"  
  
"Well, you were the last known person to see her alive, I'm afraid. But I'm pretty sure we can have this all clarified soon enough."  
  
"How long are you planning to hold her... I mean him," Nabiki asked.  
  
The officer gave the middle Tendou girl a raised eyebrow, but answered, anyhow, "Well, Miss Kuonji is in rather bad shape, we don't know when she'll be able to wake up. But when she does, she can testify on this young lady's behalf."  
  
"What do you mean, 'don't know when she'll be able to wake up'?" Konatsu asked, worrying even more than before.  
  
"Well, according to the docs, she's... she's gonna need a great deal of rest. Hopefully, she should be awake in three days, tops."  
  
All Ukyo's present aquaintances understood the situation that the officer was trying to skip around; Ukyo was in a coma, and regardless of the optimism, it was unknown when she'll be able to wake up.  
  
"Oh my," Kasumi exclaimed in barely a whisper. She then looked directly at the officer on the case, "What if whoever did this attempts to finish the job? And what of my own sister and her fiancee?"  
  
The officer glanced sideways, "Well, they're also suspects, though I had been informed of your younger sister's predicerment. We wanted to talk to..." He looked at the clipboard he was carrying, "...Nabiki, about what she had found."  
  
Nabiki glanced to her father, who gave her a slight nod. Behind her, Nodoka also gave her approval. "Sure, though there isn't much I can give you."  
  
The officer smiled lightly, "Anything you could supply would be of great help."  
  
"Alright, alright, let us through!" The Tendous and Nodoka turned to find several police officers being pushed out of the way to reveal Cologne, accompanied by both Mousse and Shampoo, "We've come to offer our assistance, especially if it involves Son-in-law. Sorry we could not arrive sooner, as we had to close shop for the night, first."  
  
"What happen spatula girl?" Shampoo asked with a touch of concern in her voice.  
  
"Someone tried to hang her and baste her, that's what," Nabiki replied a bit acidically, "You sure you don't know anything about it, or my sister's or Ranma?"  
  
"HOW DARE YOU INSINUATE..." Mousse was cut off by Cologne, as she raised her hand to signal his silence.  
  
"I understand your grief and anger, child," Cologne replied diplomatically, "but I assure you, Shampoo would not have had the chance to do anything of the sort, as today is usually one of our busier days for delivery. Besides which, Shampoo is an Amazon, and would do no such thing as to strike an opponent down in such a cowardly and grotesque fashion."  
  
Shampoo gave a nervous chuckle, and turned to look at a wall; she vaguely recalled her intentions during the first incident with Pantyhose Tarou. This didn't go unnoticed by the Amazon Matriarch, as she gave Shampoo a withering glance, while deciding sometime in the near future, she was going to have a discussion with her Great-granddaughter on how an Amazon should act, even towards enemies. "Anyhow, we waste valuable time that can be utilized towards the locating of Son-in-law and Akane. At once, tell me all that you know..."  
  
Cologne immidiately regretted that demand, before bringing her index fingers to the corners of her mouth, and whistling loudly to interrupt the onslaught of chatter, "Perhaps I should rephrase that. Nabiki, if you would tell me all that you know?"  
  
"Um, ma'am," the officer handling the case interjected, "If I may request, it would be best if you didn't interfere with official police busi-"  
  
"And you best take a nap, while I deal with official Amazon business," Cologne interrupted, bringing her cane back to her side, "If I don't get the chance, please tell Miss Kuonji that I will pay for the damage to her wall."  
  
"Um, not to state the obvious here," Nodoka decided to speak up, "but I don't think it was wise to assault a police officer.  
  
"Forgive my temper, it has been rather short, what with this ordeal and all," Cologne replied sheeplishly, before returning to her usual commanding self, "Besides which, I doubt he'll even recall the incident, what with his short-term memory knocked for a loop. And *no one's* going to remind him, I would presume..."  
  
The thinly veiled threat was heard all over the room, as most of the police officers shrugged, and promptly decided to forget what happened, themselves.  
  
"Now, Nabiki, if you would? Then Konatsu..."  
______________________  
  
Elsewhere, onna-Ranma sat, unblinking, and unmoving, even as the light drip of cool water from overhead cascaded onto her fiery red crownf. It had started, and soon, she would have her revenge. It wasn't very funny, at least to her, and the jerks would pay dearly.  
  
The Redhead continued to stare forward, oh yes, they would all pay, indeed. 


	3. Part 2

Poetic Irony  
  
  
  
Shampoo waited, and waited, and waited, as she did the evening dishes that were left from when they closed the restuarant for the night, She knew it was coming; as unseemingly infallible as her Great-Grandmother was, she was perhaps a trite overprotective of her heir.  
  
Cologne walked into the kitchen, and hopped onto the counter, seeming to observe Shampoo doing the dishes. the silence began to irk Shampoo, until her Great-Grandmother finally brought up the speech she knew was coming.  
  
"Granddaughter, I think it is best of you refrain from this hunt for your future groom. I find the events concerning him even more troublesome than what they appear on the surface,"  
  
"Is okay, Great-grandmother," shampoo began to placate, without even turning around to address her elder, "Shampoo is strong warrior, not like Kitchen Destroyer or Spatula Girl."  
  
"You underestimate both of your rivals a great deal," Cologne countered, "and nonetheless, it would be prudent if you allowed me to handle this search on our behalf."  
  
"I is not abandoning Ranma," Shampoo countered, finally turning to face her elder defiantly.  
  
"I'm afraid you may misunderstand my intentions," Cologne stated with a somewhat more softened tone, "You are, as far as the rest are concerned, still a suspect. It has nothing to do with keeping you protected physically," Cologne lied, but knew it was best to play this angle if she wanted her heir to stay out of trouble. For someone to subdue both Akane and Ukyo, and spirit away her future son-in-law in but a day was most assuradly someone not to be taken lightly.  
  
"I'LL PROTECT YOU, SHAMPOO!"  
  
The young Amazon sighed, "If you say is true, Great-Grandmother," Shampoo stepped back to the side of the sink, while opening the cabinet door at head level. Mousse easily missed his target, slamming bodily into the sink. Without much of a thought behind the action, Shampoo slammed the cabinet door on his head, destroying both the cabinet sheilf and its door, "then Shampoo obey until prove innocent."  
  
"This is why you'll make me a fine successor, Shampoo," Cologne complimented, "But in the meantime, there is not much we can do until we have further information, I suggest we finish things for the night, so that I may enquire to those involved for any further information."  
  
"Okay, Great-Grandmother," Shampoo replied, as she gathered the garbage bags, and started outside to the side alley that would lead to the back to dispose of them.  
  
Cologne watched Shampoo walk out the door, before Mousse moaned, garnering her attention. she tsked as the myopic boy collapsed backwards onto the ground, "That cabinet is coming out of your pay, Mr. Part-timer..."  
___________________  
  
Shampoo knew the crock her Grandmother was feeding her. It was made all that more apparent when she was complimented for doing something as dutiful as simply obeying her elders. But, Shampoo knew to go against her word was not a good idea, and decided it would be best to bide her time until she was in the clear.  
  
With a disgruntled sigh, Shampoo tossed the three bags into the dumpster heap to be collected in two days, before the hairs on the nape of her neck stood out all so slightly. Swiftly, Shampoo ducked under the attack from behind, hearing the strike cut through the air as it passed over with a weak whistle.  
  
Shampoo flipped forward, and turned to face her attacker before she even landed, "Who there? Shampoo no to be taken lightly like Akane or Ukyo!" Shampoo's challenge went unanswered, save for the giggle of her assailant that dissappeared around the corner while moving backwards to keep facing Shampoo.  
  
In the dim of almost no light, Shampoo gasped at what she did manage to see; though mostly obscured by the night shadows, the mop of red hair was apparent.  
  
"Airen?" Shampoo breathed, before turning to look back down the side alley she had come from to make sure her Great-Grandmother was not around. Once she figured the coast was clear, the youthful Amazon went in pursuit of her giggling attacker. As soon as she rounded the corner, things happened so quickly, the only thing she knew was unconciousness settling over her...  
___________________  
  
Cologne swore, as she scowered the neighborhood for both any signs of Ranma, and her own Great-Granddaughter. The Amazon Matriarch knew she should have known better, but presumed that Shampoo heeded the wisdom of her words last night. Cologne had retired for the night, though didn't find Shampoo in the room already, not that it was anything unusual. Her Great-granddaughter sometimes took baths long until after the Matriarch went to sleep, fantasizing about her husband. Cologne swore that something needed to be done about that girl's hormones. Now, she had gone missing, with Cologne not even finding a trace of her beyond the Cat Cafe.  
  
She was hesitant to alert the Tendous to the dissappearance of her daughter, suspecting that it would only raise their own suspicions of the situation. Mousse was an exellent tracker, but could barely be trusted to keep his emotions in check if worse came to be. Her best hope was that she could find Shampoo, safe and sound, before she had to return to open the restaurant, so that no one suspected anything.  
  
Alas, that one hope had not come true, as Cologne was forced to abandon her search, and return. She would help Mousse open the restuarant, and tell the fool-hearty boy that Shampoo had went with the Tendou girl Kasumi on some morning errands, as it was best if the girls went out in groups. Once she had Mousse settled to handle the early morning commuters, she would excuse herself for her own 'errands', and continue her search.  
  
The elder arrived back home, and strode towards the kitchen. She stopped at the door, as the restuarant phone rang. "This is the Cat Cafe, I'm afraid we aren't quite open yet, if you would like to wait an hour or two, we will..." Cologne's face grew trepid, "Yes, we own a rare Qiangxi Range Saimese..."  
  
What the veternarian told Cologne in a rather chagrinned voice, caused her to drop the phone in shock.  
___________________  
  
"Still nothing, Daddy," Nabiki replied, hanging up the phone, "The police are totally stumped over this, not that I blame them." The last part was added quietly with a crestfallen expression.  
  
"Everything will turn out fine, you'll see," Kasumi urged from the kitchen, although it completely lacked any of the usual exuberance her voice carried. They didn't voice it, but they all suspected Kasumi was hiding in the kitchen so that she wouldn't have to face the reality that her sister may be...  
  
Nodoka sat in seiza at the dining table; her face stern, but tear-streaked. She, her Husband, and Soun had been up most of the night, searching for their son. The restless search had taken its toll on all three parents; with each of them maintaining a lethergic countenance at best.  
  
Nabiki had seemed to be taking it the best, of course she remained quiet to the rest of her family, only cocentrating on police bands on her radio, and occationally calling into the station to see if there was news she may have missed, or to the Hospital to check on Ukyo's condition. If they had taken a close look at her, they would have all realized, that she was perhaps the most distraught of them all.  
  
The Saotome Matriarch reached for her sword that was leaning against the edge of the table, and bumped it instead of grasping it. The knock of the scabbard and hilt against the wood floor caused everyone to jolt. The knock at the door almost shattered the frailer nerves.  
  
Nobody, and yet everyone wanted to answer the door; hoping that news would be good, but knowing intellectually that it most assuradly was not. Only the braver of the residents took up the challenge of answering the door.  
  
"I'll get it," Kasumi called out, after several moments. It was to her a morbid mixture of relief, dissappointment, and nervousness to find Elder Cologne and Shampoo at the door. Kasumi's nervousness didn't actually come in until she noted the expressions on their faces. Cologne's face was hardened, but it was apparent she was angry, *very* angry. Shampoo hid her eyes by keeping her head bowed, but Kasumi could see the tearstreaks running down the sides of her face that were visible.  
  
"Hello, Kasumi, we must speak with you all.  
___________________  
  
"To find a cure for Shampoo?" Nabiki challenged, staring at the Amazon Matriarch defiantly, "Likely story, why would you *now* be aiming to cure Shampoo's curse?"  
  
"She is right," Soun added, "I recall something about her curse being her punishment."  
  
"I am not here to explain things to you," Cologne almost barked; her eyes remaining cold and hard to everyone present, not even softening when addressing Kasumi, "Just accept that this is of a dire situation, and whomever is attacking Ranma's fiancees could full well use Shampoo's curse against her."  
  
"Sure," Nabiki quipped, "so, where are you holing Ranma up, so you can smuggle him back to your village?" Nabiki didn't back down, even as she stared at Cologne's quite visible attempt to still her temper.  
  
"We will not have anything to do with Ran... with Son-in-law, until we have taken care of our own ordeals. We are still unaware of her location."  
  
"We should have suspected, all along," Genma's voice added in.  
  
Nodoka quickly stood up, unsheathing her sword, "You will tell us what happened to our son, and of what has become of his fiancee."  
  
Cologne wasn't the one who blew her top.  
  
"SHUT UP! YOU IS ALL STUPID! ALL... NO GREAT GRANDMOTHER FAULT! SHE LIE TO PROTECT... protect..." Shampoo roared in emotional agony, as everyone exept Cologne looked onto the young Amazon with startled expressions.  
  
Shampoo turned back to them with a wild expression on her face, "YOU WANT REASON? WE NO NEED CURE FOR CAT CURSE..." What happened next would have been rather comical, and not to mention lewd, as she quickly dropped her pants and panties, if not for the scar. It was a small one, surgical scar; a scar that carried over from her operation while as a cat from her morning visit to the vet's office.  
  
"SHAMPOO NO LONGER FIT FOR HUSBAND!!!" The girl shouted, "AND IS RANMA FAULT!!!" 


	4. Part 3

'Poetic Irony'  
  
  
  
  
"I knew Ranma was behind all this," Growled Nabiki, pacing back and forth across the family room, "it was all just a little time before he completely cracked!"  
  
"How can you say such a thing?" Nodoka interjected, "Ranma's been kidnapped! You saw the state he was in the day he dissappeared."  
  
"He was probably faking it," Nabiki countered, "In fact, who knows how long he had been planning all this out?"  
  
"We have to be rational about this," Nodoka pleaded, "I know this all looks bad, but..."  
  
"BUT NOTHING!" Nabiki shouted, causing everyone in the room to jump at her vehemance, "He's killed my sister, he's almost killed Ukyo, HE HAD SHAMPOO SPADED FOR DEITIE'S SAKES!!!" Nabiki took in a deep breath, "He went after the fiancees, we all know he could not have been happy with the situations they put him in. He wanted revenge!"  
  
"Well..." Nodoka stated, with a cold tone that hinted at a certain amount of betrayal, "I cannot say that vengence wasn't suitably his, but I for one refuse to believe my dear Ranma would be capable of such callous acts." The matronly woman stood up, and grabbed her bundle, "I shall be out, please do not follow." With that, she left the Tendou home. She walked from the gates in a brisk, almost undiginfied stride. As she headed away from the Tendou estate, she undid her hair, allowing it to collapse down to the small of her back.  
  
Genma finally spoke up after remaining silent since the Amazons had left, "She was always so protective of him, the only thing she places above his welfare sometimes is honor."  
  
"Then why did she let you take him away from her?" Kasumi growled at her uncle. Genma grimaced, and chuckled nervously.  
  
"Is it wise to let her go out by herself?" Konatsu enquired, looking towards the door.  
  
"Oh, I doubt the momma's boy would harm mommy," Nabiki seethed, "For all we know, she's probably in on this too!"  
  
"Enough of this, everyone," Soun placated, taking a drag of his fifth cigerette, "There's nothing we can do for the moment, not without any information on Ranma's whereabouts. We have been warned by the constable to remain at home, lest we also be suspect, and any further discussion on this for the night wouldn't be beneficial for anyone."  
  
"How can you remain so calm, father?" Kasumi asked, almost in tears."  
  
Soun didn't answer the question, "I will be retiring early for the evening."  
  
Kasumi, Nabiki, Genma, and Konatsu watched him walk up the stairs. "I never thought he could be so... callous," Kasumi broked the silence with a choked voice.  
  
"I think Tendou-san is more distraught about this than he lets on," offered Konatsu, "Perhaps he's trying to be strong for the two of you?" The male kunoichi watched as the two girl's angered faces became slightly more despairing, as the took in Konatsu's words, "I must get back to Ukyo's side. I don't believe Ranma means for her death, and she is well guarded by police, but I still don't think it is wise for me not to be near her."  
  
"We understand," Nabiki replied, not moving from her seat on the couch. Konatsu bowed, and made his leave.  
  
"I guess all of us may as well turn in for the night," Nabiki suggested, earning a nod from Kasumi.  
  
"I'll wait up for my wife to return," Genma replied with a subdued tone. He went to the shougi table, and sat before it, just staring. Both remaining Tendou daughters spared him a pitying look, before heading to their own rooms.  
____________________  
  
The redhead stood on the wall, overlooking the Kuno estate. Her hand clutched the weapon at her side, while the unconcious male scion of the house of Kuno lay unconcious at the base of the wall.  
  
"Kodachi Kuno," she almost breathed the name with anticipation.  
  
"RANMA SAOTOME!!!"  
  
The redhead blinked, before turning on the wall, to find a young man in white robes with flowing black hair. She internally winced at the thought of her prey being alerted to her presence.  
  
"I knew you'd come here, after all, she's the only one left," Mousse stated with a dead, cold voice, "I trust you know why I'm here?"  
  
The redhead rolled her eyes, "Yes, but if you want me..." She jumped down the wall, and into the Kuno estate.  
  
Mousse pulled out a pair of swords, and whispered, "There will be no escape from me, this time..."  
____________________  
  
Nabiki lay in bed over her covers, unable to rid herself of the nagging feeling. Ranma had done away with his former fiancees in fashions that the middle Tendou sister would have to note were rather... poetic. Akane was brutalized, as the site she found all the blood in proved. Ukyo tended to 'baste' him, buttering him up to her advantage, he probably presumed that she was using her friendship with him for her own gain. Shampoo tended to act like she was in heat around him at every moment; what he did to her was just as harsh as what probably happened to her sister and Ukyo.  
  
Nabiki idly thought about her brief stint as Ranma's fiancee, and immidiatly found her nerves run cold. It seemed as if the shadows grew all that much darker in her room, allowing it ease for would be assailants to hide in wait.  
  
Nabiki quickly reached over, and turned on her lamp on her night stand, to allieve her fears slightly. Almost instantly, the frigid water flow that she felt down her spine lessened. It was the feeling she got when she saw a potential profit dwindle away, or was surprised by Kodachi's laugh...  
  
"Oh... Kaml..."  
  
Nabiki immidiately shot out of bed, and rushed down the stairs, awakening Kasumi in the process. Genma looked up, as he saw the middle Tendou sister barreling from the stairway, and rushing for the phone.  
  
After frantic dialing, Nabiki recieved an answer, "Nerima Ward Hospital..."  
____________________  
  
Konatsu frantically rushed to the Kuno estate on Nabiki's insistance. As he bounded from rooftop to rooftop, he chided himself for being so stupid as to overlook such an obvious target. Ukyo was safe for the time being, only because Ranma would have other goals in mind.  
  
The kunoichi landed on the wall, and launched himself over and into the air for a high view of the Kuno's yard. With concentrated precision, Konatsu threw several throwing daggers below him, each one cutting a tripwire, and setting off several traps in the process. He landed knealing, and turned to look around. He gasped when he found Mousse entangled in a tripwire with a dozen darts stuck within him.  
  
Konatsu rushed over, and checked the other boy. He pulled out one of the darts, and sniffed it. With a solumn expression, he laid Mousse down gently; he would have to at least call an ambulance to come pick up the body.  
  
With trained finesse, Konatsu ran through the yard, until he came upon where he supposed Kodachi would most likely be at, if not in bed. Without any fanfare, he smashed through the window of the greenhouse. Not finding any sign of Kodachi or Ranma there, Konatsu made his way into the house. He only made it down the hall before finding a badly pummeled Sasuke laying against a wall.  
  
"Where's Kodachi's room?" Konatsu asked, urgently. Sasuke blinked his eyes open.  
  
"Ko-Kodachi?"  
  
"Where is she right now?" the kunoichi demanded more firmly. With a shaky finger, Sasuke pointed down the hall.  
  
Lifting the diminuative ninja in his arms, yet not allowing him to slow him down, Konatsu ran in the direction, after several redirections, Konatsu heard a moan from behind a door. Without any caution, he exploded into the room, and the sight before him made his eyes go wide.  
  
True, hey may be a kunoichi trained in the deadly arts, but Ranma was just plain being fricking BRUTAL!  
____________________  
  
"Kodachi was crippled, with a large mallet no less" Nabiki stated with almost a twisted mirth, "There goes her career."  
  
"Do you find this funny?" Soun almost growled, turning his most serious glare to his middle daughter.  
  
Nabiki giggled, inciting him further, "No, daddy, in fact I'm scared to Hell about all this! Ranma's not just going after fiancees, is he?"  
  
"I don't know," Soun replied, with a solomn tone.  
  
"It's my responciblity to track the boy down, and bring him to justice," Genma stated, with his own full amount of sincerity and grimness, "Even if it is for he isn't responcible, it's for his own welfare."  
  
"Maybe if you had gotten off your fat behind earlier..."  
  
"Don't test me, girl..." Genma snapped back.  
  
"I won't have you attacking my little girl," Tendou placed himself between Nabiki and his best friend, and wore an expression of challenge.  
  
"All of you, just... calm down," The residing officer commanded, "I need to know, do you think there will be any other potential victims we may want to look into?"  
  
Nabiki mused, "Well, there's Daikonji, but I think she's highly unlikely. maybe Ryoga..." Nabiki gulped before continuing, "there's me..."  
  
"I see..." The officer presiding over the case stated, "Anyone else you can possibly think of?"  
  
"Well, you can ask the idiot here," Nabiki stated, pointing to an indignant Genma, "Kasumi, is there anyone you can think of?"  
  
"Kasumi?" Soun looked around, "I hadn't seen her for quite some time..."  
  
"Now that you mention it, my wife..." Genma also started to look around in concern.  
____________________  
  
Kasumi's eyes opened, immidiately finding a near blinding light flashing in her face.  
  
"Hello, Kasumi."  
  
The young woman's eyes widened, despite the hard white light in her face, as she recognized the voice. The gag in her mouth prevented her from speaking more than frantic moans. She was strapped down to a table, so she was held at the mercy of her captive.  
  
"Surpised to see me?" The redhead stepped out into the light, though Kasumi's vision was extremely blurred from the light, "Yes, you're a part of this too, don't you know? You can't get out of this without your own penance."  
  
Kasumi started to scream, as fear induced tears began in her eyes. "Oh, don't worry, I'm letting you off light," The redhead proclaimed, before pulling out a foot long, extremely narrow spike, "But, it's probably best if you don't move around. you *don't* want me to mess this up..."  
  
Kasumi watched in paraylized fear, as the pic got closer to her eye... 


	5. Part 4

'Poetic Irony'  
  
  
  
  
Nabiki was made to stay at the hospital with Konatsu, while Soun and Genma searched the area for their daughter and wife, respectively, but to no avail. It was with great relief when they came home that night, and found Nodoka waiting anxiously for them.  
  
"Nodoka, have you seen Kasumi?" Soun asked with a trembling voice, Nodoka, much to his relief, nodded.  
  
"She's upstairs in bed, I think she had an exitable night."  
  
"Ah, as long as she's okay.." Soun decided to go check on his daughter, and found her in her room. He sighed at the contentful smile she had on her face, as if recent events had never happened. He brushed his hand against his daughter's bangs, before turning away. "As long as you and Nabiki are safe..." With that, he left the room, and Kasumi to her peaceful sleep.  
_____________________  
  
A yawning Nabiki stepped out of the taxi, and narrowed her eyes at the morning sun. She hated being up this early, but she didn't like the idea of having to deal with hospital food. Her father had called her last night to tell her Kasumi was alright, and chose to celebrate it with one of her exellent breakfasts.  
  
"I'm home," Nabiki called out, as she removed her shoes.  
  
"Welcome home, Nabiki," replied Kasumi's voice. Nabiki went to the kitchen to find Kasumi smiling as she worked on the morning meal. Nabiki noticed a little of the vibrancy missing from her sister's smile, and chalked it up to the stress of their missing (she didn't want to think of Akane's fate) sister.  
  
"Where did you dissappear to last night? You had all of us worried sick."  
  
"That's okay," Kasumi replied.  
  
Nabiki blinked, "Uh, are you going to tell me?"  
  
"I saw Ranma," Kasumi replied with an almost dull smile.  
  
Nabiki's face grew serious, as her complextion turned pale, "What do you mean, you saw him, did he do anything to you?" Alarm bells were starting to go off with Nabiki, as she began to note little nuances with Kasumi.  
  
"I saw Ranma, and she told me that everything was fine now." Nabiki searched Kasumi's eyes, finding her sister meeting her glance with passive, dull ones.  
  
"DAD!" Nabiki shouted, grabbing her sister by the arm, "WE NEED TO GET TO THE HOSPITAL! I THINK RANMA DRUGGED KASUMI!"  
_____________________  
  
"OH! MY BABY'S DYING!" Soun wailed, as he was being placated by both Nodoka and his best friend. Nabiki was frantically pacing back and forth on the floor, hoping that her concern was invalid, and that it was probably just stress and maybe some depression that she saw in Kasumi earlier. She was still worried about Kasumi's claims of seeing Ranma. If she had, were they also now targets to him? Were they always targets? Just who was safe from Ranma?  
  
The doctor stepped out into the lounge, breaking both Soun's hysterics, and Nabiki's nervous contemplation. He kept a serious, unemotional expression on his face, telling Nabiki and Soun something was wrong.  
  
"Doctor?" Nabiki asked tentatively, as if fearful for the answer.  
  
"Your sister isn't drugged, as you supposed," the doctor stated, his voice sounding far from relieving.  
  
"There's something else, isn't there?" Nodoka asked, extremely worried, herself.  
  
The doctor cleared his throat, and for the first time gave an expression that showed his condolences, "Well, there was extensive and irreperable damage done to the frontal lobes of her brain. A sharp object had been used to enter through the outer corners of her eyes, puncture through the soft bone, and... and then to scratch out the tissue of the frontal lobes of her brain. This barbaric proceedure is medically known as a trans-orbital lobotomy, more commonly known as an-"  
  
"Ice pick lobotomy," Nabiki gasped, beginning to feel nausious. Ranma did that to her sister, no doubt about it. It fit right into the 'peotic irony' theme. Kasumi tended to act vapid to avoid situations, sometimes even ignoring the situation; only giving discerning emotions to more extreme cases when it came to her fancy. An Ice pick lobotomy was made to 'balance' out extreme emotions, any of which Kasumi would probably never express or feel again.  
  
"I would also like to point out that this operation is highly illegal."  
  
"Like it mattered to Ranma," Nabiki growled.  
  
"Nabiki, please," Nodoka urged, incidentally causing Nabiki to snap.  
  
"NO!" she screamed, whirling on the older woman, "RANMA'S BEEN PICKING US OFF, ONE BY ONE! THE POLICE CAN'T DO ANYTHING TO STOP HIM, EVEN *IF* THEY CATCH HIM. YOUR HUSBAND AND DAD ARE JUST AS USELESS! WE HAVE NO IDEA WHO'S SAFE, BUT NOT EVEN KASUMI APPARENTLY WAS! NOT EVEN AKANE, HIS FIANCEE, NOT EVEN UKYO, HIS BEST FRIEND, NOT EVEN..." Nabiki started suddenly, before closing her eyes. After regaining what calmness she could, she opened her now teary eyes, "We're next, aren't we, Auntie Saotome?"  
  
Nodoka looked away, the nervousness about her easily palpable. That did nothing to comfort Nabiki, as she turned, and furiously stormed away, pushing the unfortunate doctor out of her way.  
  
"NABIKI!" Soun shouted out, "DON'T!" Genma put a hand on his shoulder, forestalling his best friend from saying any more, and followed after Nabiki.  
_____________________  
  
Genma found Nabiki standing in front of a plate glass window, overlooking some of the city from the fourth floor, "Nabiki."  
  
"Leave me alone," Nabiki mumbled, not turning to look at the man.  
  
"I won't do that, the Saotome Honor is now at stake here."  
  
"*What* Honor?" Nabiki almost growled, still not looking at Genma, "I think Ranma just burned whatever was left of it to the ground."  
  
"Trust me, the boy will be stopped," Genma stated firmly, "But, if that's to be done, we will need your cooperation with this."  
  
Nabiki finally relented, "Kasumi was supposed to be safe. No one would harm Kasumi! I guess Ranma just got really fed up with the placid attitude of hers, whenever he was in the thick of it, but it wasn't her fault! He didn't have to take it out on her!" Nabiki dragged herself to the seats opposite of the window, and slumped into them, "Kasumi's never going to be the same, I'm pretty sure if we ever find Akane, it'll probably be floating and bloated from an impromptu crash course in swimming," Nabiki snorted softly, "I wonder what he has in store for me?"  
  
"You know, Nodoka's not taking this any easier than you," Genma started, "Between this whole thing, and the hospital here bringing back some bad memories... she's on pretty shaky ground."  
  
Nabiki sighed, "So, what happens now?"  
  
"We wait for Ranma to make a mistake, and we resolve this," Genma stated with utter solumnity, "Now, let's return back to your father and Nodoka."  
  
_____________________  
  
A weary Nodoka, and morose Nabiki lead the two men into the Tendou home. Nabiki barely remembered to take her shoes off, and walked into the living room, followed closely by her father. She would have to remember to be extra careful around the house right now; Kasumi was being held for observation by the doctors to ensure no infection develops, and to also establish the extent of her psychological damage.  
  
"I'll go start dinner," Nodoka stated with a quiet voice. Everyone nodded in response, not really paying attention to the Saotome Matriarch.  
  
Genma settled down in front of the shougi table, "How about a game to help calm your nerves, Tendou?"  
  
"How can you think about playing games at a time like this?" Soun asked in a serious voice.  
  
Genma shrugged, "Can't think of anything else to do right now."  
  
"You selfish, cowardly..."  
  
"Shouldn't be casting stones, Tendou ol' 'Pal'," Genma interjected, coming to standing.  
  
"My daughters' lives have been in jeapordy because of your insane son, and what have you shown to do about it?" Soun growled through gritted teeth, his face right in Genma's.  
  
"About as much as you've shown in protecting your daughters!"  
  
Soun's eyes flashed violently, as he threw the first punch. Genma managed to parry it away, and then jump back into stance, "Wanna take this outside, Tendou, my dear 'friend'?"  
  
"We'll settle this wherever and now!" Soun challenged, also in stance.  
  
"BOTH OF YOU, STOP THIS AT ONCE!" Nodoka shouted, drying her hands with a dishtowel.  
  
"My heros," Nabiki stated with a cold voice dripping with sarcasm, "I'm going upstairs, so I won't have to watch you two act like idiots."  
  
As Nabiki climbed the stairs, Genma and Soun continued to stare at each other. "Don't ever comment about my ability to protect my baby girls, or you'll find out just how 'inadequate' my ability is," Soun challenged, slowly relaxing from his stance.  
  
"Just as long as you don't say anything about my control over my son," Genma retorted, relaxing also. Though they were no longer in aggressive positions, they continued to glare at each other...  
  
...until they heard Nabiki's scream.  
  
Within less than an instant, Genma, Soun, and Nodoka were in Nabiki's doorway, finding the girl staring fearfully at her vanity mirror. All three entered fully, to find what had shaken Nabiki so...  
  
"Eenie, meenie, minie, mo.  
Akane, Shampoo, Kasumi, Kodachi, Ukyo,  
I think Nabiki will be the next to go!"  
  
The message was written in Ranma's messy sprawl, in Nabiki's favorite lipstick color. The one that she had put on this morning, and carried around with her with a few others all day in case it needed to be reapplied... 


	6. Finale

Poetic Irony  
  
  
  
  
Nabiki stumbled through the house, frantically searching for any sign of Ranma. Nodoka, Soun, and Genma looked on with concerned expressions, as she seemed to be wondering aimlessly.  
  
"RANMA!" Nabiki shouted, knowing he was still around, knowing he was watching her, waiting for the opportunity to finish her when it was most convenient. She turned quickly, causing tears of fustration to be sent flying. She knew that there was nothing they could do to stop him, Ranma was proving without a shadow of a doubt that Nabiki was his to do as he pleased.  
  
She ran to her purse, shoving Nodoka and her father out of the way,and found the shade of lipstick that had been used on her mirror. She found it, and stared intensely at the smeared head. He even left evidence of his proximity to his final target. With a roar of fustration, Nabiki threw the ruined lipstick into the wall, cracking it and smearing some of it against the surface of impact.  
  
"RANMA!" she screamed, doing circles to take in all she could of her surroundings, as if she would spot him in the open; smiling darkly at her, taunting her, staring back at her with cold, hard, ruthless eyes that blamed her, as well as his fiancees and Kasumi for the hardships he had faced in his life. "DAMN IT! IF YOU'RE GOING TO KILL ME, DO IT!!!"  
  
Soun quickly came behind Nabiki, and put his hands on her shoulders from behind in a protective manner, "Nabiki, calm down, he's not here! I'm here to protect you from that monster!"  
  
His daughter spun from his grasp, slapping his hands away, "YOU CAN'T STOP HIM! NOT YOU, NOT MR. SAOTOME, NOT THE AMAZONS, NOT THE POLICE, NO ONE!" She turned away from her shocked father, and began screaming again, "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU PLANNING TO DO TO ME, RANMA? JUST GET IT OVER WITH! QUIT PLAYING... playing..."  
  
Nabiki blinked, before she began to chuckle. The other three in the room stared back with surprised looks, when she finally burst into full out laughter.  
  
"Nabiki," Soun said in a firm voice, hoping to gain her attention, "Calm down, it's all going to be okay..."  
  
"THAT'S what the jerk is doing!" Nabiki proclaimed in a small victory of her deduction, "He's trying to break me! He's trying to drive me crazy!" Her wild eyes found three pairs of confused ones, "Don't you get it?" She started, "He spaded Shampoo because she was a horny slut, he beat Kodachi because of her constant surprise attacks, He gave Kasumi a lobotomy, as if she needed an excuse for the way she acted whenever he was in trouble... he wants me to lose control. HE THINKS I'M THE ONE WHO'S ALWAYS IN CONTROL OF THINGS!" Nabiki chocked down the chuckles that were threatening to erupt, while wiping the tears from her eyes, "Well, Ranma, you're not going to win that way. I'm afraid that you're just going to have to change your plans. YOU HEAR ME, RANMA? I KNOW YOU CAN! IF YOU WANT YOUR DAMN REVENGE, YOU'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE TO KILL ME! YOU UNDERSTAND?!?"  
  
The challenge had been issued.  
____________________  
  
"Ranma..." a soothing femenine voice cooed, as she approached the figure that sat in lotus position in the dark, unmoving. A delicate hand landed on his shoulder, as the sound of silk rustled from the other's kneeling. "You only have Nabiki to worry about now, what do you plan to do with her?"  
  
Ranma's cold, emotionless slate blue eyes continued to stare ahead and away from his visitor. Her sinister smile could be felt, as she rose back to standing, "That's certainly a novel idea. When do you plan on carrying through with it?"  
  
Ranma stared forward, unmoving.  
____________________  
  
  
Nabiki sensed that the very shadows were after her. Ranma could come at her, and she wouldn't even know it with his umisenken technique, beat her to death at hyperspeed, and there would be nothing that anyone could do to stop him. Nabiki thought about calling Ryoga, but she knew there was little he would be able to do against the enraged pigtailed boy. Nabiki decided that she would hold out until Ranma became too fustrated with this little game, realizing that he failed in his plan. From that, she would recieve some small victory over the pig-tailed psychopath.  
  
She heard the shuffling of someone's footsteps outside her door, either her father or Mr. Saotome. She would have barked in bitter laughter at their futile attempts, if she had it in her. She knew full well Ranma wouldn't be stopped until he was satisfied, and as he always said, Ranma Saotome *never* loses.  
  
Nabiki didn't even notice the blood beginning to stain her jeans, as her nails bit into the palms of her hands; even if she was anticipating it, she wasn't yet ready to die. She needed something to take her mind off the current ordeal, and went to her closet to grab an old book or something to read. She opened the door, and gasped.  
  
Before her, an outfit, the only fully black one she had that should have been buried in the back of her closet, out of mind. A jacket and vest combo that she only wore twice, both on a certain day of the year; the anniversary of her mother's death.  
  
Nabiki staggered back, tripping over her own feet. The thump alerted her sentinal outside her door, causing Soun to rush in for the rescue, "NABIKI!"  
  
His daughter didn't respond, staring at the black outfit in undesguised fear. Her breathing became still, as if waiting for a vacuum blade to strike her down, or some other violent end to suddenly happen.  
  
Her eyes then scanned around the room, as her father stood by, dumbfounded. Genma had also arrived by that time, and looked on confused. Nabiki's vision found her vanity mirror, and despite Nodoka having cleaned the lipstick off completely, she could see it as if it were still there, the message.  
  
"NO!" Nabiki leapt to her feet, and slammed both fists into the mirror. It shattered upon the impact, littering her small fists with shards of glass, bringing about several more cuts to match the ones in her palms.  
  
Soun caught her before she could collapse in a trembling, terrified mess.  
____________________  
  
"How is she doing?" Nodoka asked with a concerned voice, having just returned from a grocery run, but being filled in by her husband on the earlier commotion.  
  
"She's sleeping," Soun said in a tired voice, "You're husband's watching her right now. He is determined to ensure that nothing becomes of my little girl."  
  
"He feels that Ranma's become his greatest failure," Nodoka said in a choking voice, feeling her own emotions come to the surface, "He wouldn't say it, but to see Ranma like he was, just staring..."  
  
Soun nodded, "Yes, the girls' prank went well too far, indeed, but that doesn't justify his actions."  
  
Nodoka's face started to snarl darkly, before relaxing, escaping Soun's notice, "Is it really not justified?"  
  
Soun looked at the woman incredulously, "Nodoka, you couldn't honestly mean..."  
  
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Nodoka interjected, gaining control over herself, "I don't know what came over me."  
  
"The stress is bearing down on all of us," Soun replied, "and the thought of your only child doing such atrocities." Nodoka turned away, not wanting Soun to see her face.  
  
Upstairs, Genma watched Nabiki sleeping. It would be so easy, he thought to himself, she would die peacefully, and not have to worry about whatever was intended for her anymore.  
  
The elder Saotome snorted darkly, he would not allow his son to harm her, wether it be in her sleep or awake. If it meant having to sanction his own son for the last vestiges of honor in the Saotome family, so be it.  
  
But he would NOT allow his son to destroy it all.  
____________________  
  
  
Several days had gone by, and the game Ranma was playing on Nabiki was beginning to wear her down. it was like a twisted game of tag, where he would leave some sign that he was close enough to her to do something, yet only leave the knowledge of how close she was to her fate.  
  
She was beginning to lose sleep, waking up suddenly whenever she dozed off, thinking every little sound could be Ranma, hiding in he dark, standing in the corner, watching her sleep fitfully. Yet she would not crack, she would not give Ranma the satisfaction of seeing her broken.  
  
It was now her determined pride that held her sanity firm, but pride could only go so far. Kasumi had come back home with an intense air of obliviousness that served as a constant reminder as to the evil Ranma was now capable of. After he did crush her, what would he do with her? Would he disgard her like a broken toy, or would he leave her to some sort of listless existance, drooling upon herself as her broken-hearted father was forced to take care of her and her completely vapid sister?  
  
Nabiki's turmoil had weakened her severely, finding it difficult to descend the stairs without assistance from her father, Nodoka, or Genma. Currently, the most latter was helping.  
  
"What's taking that damn son of your so long to finish this?" Nabiki growled impotently.  
  
Genma could only shake his head, "I don't know him anymore. He is a complete mystery to me as he is to you."  
  
"You seem to be handling this pretty well," Nabiki snapped, as they reached the bottom stairs.  
  
Genma had gotten accustomed to Nabiki's anger, because he had began to understand it, "I can only do so much against him, and he knows it. But I'll tell you now, me and Nodoka are suffering almost as much as you are for this."  
  
"Yeah, you look real shaken up," Nabiki replied in a voice laden with angry undertone.  
  
"Dicipline," Genma said, factually, as he set Nabiki down on the couch, "Between my years of martial arts training, and Nodoka's somewhat fleeting medical and psychological studies, we both have a great deal of dicipline to have to weather this out."  
  
"Mrs. Saotome went to medical school?" Nabiki asked with an incredulous voice.  
  
Genma pushed his glasses up to his nose, "Well, she didn't have much to do while me... and Ranma... were on our training trip. She told me not too long ago that she didn't have the money or time to continue her studies, but wished to do so..." Genma sighed at the thought, before looking back at Nabiki, and finding her staring angrily back at him. The fury in her eyes caused him to baulk, "Uh... what?"  
  
With a newfound strength, Nabiki shot to standing, and ran from the room to make a phone call; swearing the whole way of how stupid she was not to realize it.  
____________________  
  
Nodoka got off the subway train, and headed for the nearest exit. It wasn't far to the old clinic she had worked in for quite some time while she studied. The building wasn't condemed, but it hadn't seen care for a few years even prior to it closing down. She removed the old key that she kept, and unlocked the door. With delicacy, she pushed it open, barely allowing any of the outside light to enter through the door, regardless of what was supplied in the slightly boarded windows.  
  
The scent of staleness intermingled with old anticeptic that tortured the nose of anyone unfortunate enough to sample it. Nodoka had grown used to it, as she was sure her son had, there was so little that could keep her precious child down.  
  
She walked downstairs to the large cellar area, where cold supplies and other cumbersome items were kept. She came to a stop near the far wall away from the stairs, and waited, before speaking, "Watch your step, Nabiki dear. It's quite a mess in here, I'm afraid."  
  
Nabiki decided that her stealth needed a great deal of work, as she decided to just casually descend the stairs, "So, it was you all along."  
  
Nodoka tilted her head to the side, but didn't turn to face Nabiki, "Why, what gives you that idea?"  
  
"Your husband gave me the final clues I needed," Nabiki stated firmly, "The whole time, you had us believing that it was your son, you sick witch!"  
  
Nodoka whirled around to face Nabiki, with her face still cast in shadows, "Don't you DARE call me that, young lady!" Her voice softened to display a bit of mirth, "You should address your elders with respect, as a proper young lady."  
  
"What did you do with Akane?" Nabiki asked in a terse voice, "and what did you have in mind for me?"  
  
Nodoka walked over to a nearby swivling chair, and sat down properly, "Let's see, Akane dear..." Nabiki could see the other woman's smirk grow in the dark, "Well, we both know how often she attempted to poison my dear son, even I at one point had to sample her atrocious cooking..."  
  
"What does this have to do with... with..." Nabiki's eyes wide, "You poisoned her?"  
  
Nodoka chuckled warmly, parodying the direness of the situation, "No, Nabiki-chan, there are other ways of getting sustinence from her for my darling son."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Nabiki asked, extremely confused.  
  
Nodoka's expression turned cold serious, as she brought herself to standing, "My son has a rather robust appetite... I think Akane fit it rather well..."  
  
Nabiki felt her stomach begin to churn at the notion, as her legs began to feel like jelly, "You're... you..."  
  
"As for you..." Nodoka continued, undaunted, "You're an extremely selfish person, so I thought I would help you protect your most precious commodity."  
  
"What?" Nabiki asked tentatively, as she subtly started scooting back for the stairs, "You were going to hide my money or something?"  
  
"Oh come off it, we both know you're not *that* shallow," Nodoka stated with a dry voice, as she began to slowly approach Nabiki.  
  
"Then what were you planning?" Nabiki felt her foot bump the first wooden stairs, and was ready to make a break for it and call for assistance.  
  
"Well, I went through all this trouble of allowing you to follow me, so I could show it to you..." Nodoka pointed to a largish safe that was against one of the walls, "You see, you hold yourself well above anything else... you think you'll fit, Nabiki-chan?" The last part was said with a little humor.  
  
"But... but..." Nabiki stuttered at the horrible fate that Nodoka had intended for her; to get her into that safe would take a great deal of contorting, "What was all the crap you've been doing to me about? Why go through all the trouble if you were going to do this?"  
  
"Honestly, Nabiki, I would think *you* of all people could take a joke," Nodoka's voice was harsh as she spoke, "What's the matter? You didn't enjoy a harmless prank at your expense? You didn't find it as funny as I did?"  
  
"None of that was funny," Nabiki replied in a terrorized and nearly shaking voice.  
  
"So... it's only funny when it's YOU driving MY SON out of his mind for some 'HARMLESS' prank, but not when it's being done to you," Nodoka's voice was seething, "You little BRAT!!!"  
  
Nabiki turned to run, and dashed up the stairs, only to find the door slam on her, and familiar chuckling from the other side. "Sorry, Nabiki," the voice apologized in a tone that showed it wasn't sincere, "but Mom requested some private time with you."  
  
"RANMA!" Nabiki screamed, pounding on the door, " LET ME OUT!" The sound of steel sliding out of laquer wood drew Nabiki's attention, just in time for her to jump off the side of the wooden stairway, right before the Saotome Family Blade bit into where she was standing.  
  
Nodoka fought with the sword, before finally dislodging it. "I really should have learned to use this thing at some time," Nodoka said factually, as she turned to walk back down the stairs, "Nabiki, please do be careful in here, it's awfully dark, and you might get hurt!"  
  
Nabiki tried to quietly scurry through the cluttered cellar in order to find a hiding place, and accidentally bumped into a display skeleton. That and the scream she emitted when she saw what it was in the tiny light supplied, alerted Nodoka to where she was.  
  
"Oh, there you are!" the Saotome Matriarch stated with a relieved tone, "I was afraid I may have lost you!"  
  
"I didn't come alone!" Nabiki cried out, desperately, "I-"  
  
"Probably came with that peculiar young man that constantly dresses like a girl, I would imagine," Nodoka interjected, "Really, I wouldn't have expected anything less. You aren't stupid enough to attempt to confront me by yourself, and you don't trust in your father or my husband's abilities, that leaves Konatsu, the one person that to my knowledge had fought my son to a stalemate." Nodoka's sword whistled, before it came to make a 'thunking' sound against a wood banister to where Nabiki had been hiding not too long ago, "I'm pretty sure Ranma is dealing with him properly..."  
____________________  
  
  
Konatsu saw the flash of red hair in the building, and grew concerned; There was no sign of Nabiki, but if Nodoka was visible...  
  
Fearing the worst, the kunoichi rushed into the clinic. Almost as soon as he was inside, Konatsu was forced to dodge away from several throwing knives aimed for his head. He recovered, and rushed in the direction they came from. He saw a flash of red turn a corner, and pulled out his ninja short sword out, as he gave in pursuit. As he turned the corner, he dropped to a slide under a boobytrap that was set for head-level. He rolled back to his feet, and kept giving chase. he saw and heard a door slam, and turned to it. He delivered a thrust kick to the closed door, shattering it, and stood in a low stance with the sword in a reverse grip with his free hand forward in guard.  
  
His eyes surveyed the dark room, to find a figure sitting down in lotus position in the dark. With quiet steps, and bringing his weapon to the fore, the kunoichi stalked silently behind the unmoving figure. The kunoichi deftly placed his blade at the sitting figure's neck, already realizing it was Ranma.  
  
"Ranma-sam... Ranma-san," Konatsu stated in a cold voice, "All this is going to end now..." The kunoichi was surprised to find Ranma not moving, as the blade was kept against his neck threateningly.  
  
"Konatsu, help!"  
  
The male kunoichi blinked at hearing Nabiki's voice, and looked down to the still unmoving Ranma. With a curse, he abandoned the pigtailed young man, and headed for his first objective, the protection of Nabiki.  
____________________  
  
  
Nabiki waited for Nodoka to come close, before tackling the woman. The force of Nabiki slamming into the older woman sent the sword flying into the darkness. Nabiki slammed her fist into Nodoka's jaw, and caught a headbutt in retaliation.  
  
"This isn't... how proper ladies should act," Nodoka said with a slightly dazed tone, as she attempted to clear the cobwebs from her head while coming to stand. Nabiki came out of her daze faster, and took the opportunity to rush to the celler door. When she got to the top of the stairs, she pounded as hard as possible.  
  
"KONATSU, HELP!" She shouted, before she felt an obi wrap around her neck.  
  
"I've had just about ENOUGH out of you!" Nodoka stated in a growl, as she attempted to choke the life out of the young woman. In desperation, Nabiki braced herself against the stairs, and launched herself back, with Nodoka behind her. They both landed heavily against hte stairs, and rolled down to the ground.  
  
Nabiki drunkenly staggered back to her feet, and attempted to climb the stairs once again. The sound of a metal edge sliding against the wood floor told Nabiki she was almost out of time. She tried to get her bearings together, but the mild concussion she was experiencing made it too difficult to focus.  
  
"I'm afraid that this will have to be a bit messier than I hoped," Nodoka stated with a sigh, just as the cellar door shattered inward.  
  
"NABIKI! DUCK!" Konatsu shouted, as he leapt down the flight of stairs. Nodoka's sword was descending upon Nabiki's skull, and almost connected before Konatsu's own blade slide over the younger girl's head, slicing a few strands of hair, and parried the Saotome Honor Sword. While still in the air, Konatsu delivered a snap kick that caught the older woman in the chin, sending her unconcious...  
____________________  
  
  
Nabiki wearily slumped into her room, bandaged from her injuries from a few hours ago. Nodoka was now in custody, and Ranma had been found in a comatose state once more. Nabiki could still remember the confident chuckle Nodoka emitted, as she was being escorted away. The Tendou daughter knew she had won, but something was nagging in the back of her head, that things weren't quite finished.  
  
She realized what it was, she had been hoping to find the body of her younger sister, but the bones would have to do. A tear slid down Nabiki cheek, as she felt the wretched sobs start to overcome her. Mousse and Akane had been the only lethal casualties, but that didn't help Nabiki any. she thought back to when she found that rag amidst all the bright red blood that had dried on the... on the ground...  
  
Something else just occured to Nabiki. She had been living in a dojo her whole life, she had seen bloody injuries quite often. The thick dried red on the blue shred of Akane's jumper didn't... quite look right... as if... as if...  
  
"Now why did you haveta go and do that to Mom?"  
  
Nabiki gasped, as she felt her heart leap from her chest at the sound of Ranma's voice. The redhead stepped out of the dark corner of Nabiki's room, where she had remained unseen.  
  
Nabiki realized it right then...  
  
It wasn't blood...  
  
It was hair dye  
.  
.  
.  
.  
Fin 


	7. Omake

'Poetic Irony'  
Omake  
  
  
  
Omake #1; Ukyo-basting sauce  
  
1 pint dashi (fish) stock  
2 tablespoons lemon juice  
1 tablespoon cold water mixed with 2 teaspoons cornstarch  
1 tablespoon vegetable or seasame seed oil (pref. to taste)  
half teaspoon pepper  
half teaspoon garlic powder  
2 tablespoons mirin sake  
1 tablespoon oyster sauce  
  
  
Combine all but the corn starch mixture into small saucepan, and bring to near boil. Set to simmer for a few moments, then slowly mix in cornstarch mixture. Stir every so often over low heat until thickened. Serves one full Ukyo (or you could use it on non-red meat okonomiyaki, it works pretty good as a chicken baste, too!)  
  
Extra tip: If out of corn starch, flour makes a decent substitute.  
________________________  
  
Omake #2;  
  
  
Ranma stared forward, unblinking, unmoving. Suddenly, for the first time in months, he began to show life, as the corner of his mouth began to twitch. The ones who put him in this state have been taken care of, bringing vengence to his angered soul...  
  
Ranma's lips began to bow, before his eyes blinked, and his mouth stretched into an irritated grimace  
  
"HEY! THAT WASN'T FUNNY, YOU JERKS... huh?" Ranma looked around to find himself in a white padded cell, with his arms held firm in a straight jacket.  
  
"WHAT THE...?" Ranma struggled with his jacket, causing himself to fall over onto his side; he couldn't gain leverage from his legs, as he couldn't feel them from being in lotus position for so long.  
  
"HEY! LEMME OUTTA HERE!" Ranma shouted, wondering what he had done to deserve this predicerment.  
________________________  
  
Omake #3;  
  
"THAT WASN'T FUNNY, AKANE!" Nabiki screamed, as she threw her bed pillow at her sister.  
  
Akane rolled around on the ground, laughing her ass off, "Oh man, you shoulda SEEN your face!"  
  
"MOUSSE IS DEAD, KASUMI'S BEEN LOBOTOMIZED, AND YOU'RE LAUGHING?" Nabiki shouted, incredulously.  
  
"Mousse?" Akane blinked, before opening her mouth in comprehension, "OH! That? He's not dead, Sasuke's been expirementing with Kodachi's voodoo drugs again. The Kunos offered to dig him up and fix him, good as new!"  
  
"But... but Kasumi..."  
  
Akane gave her sister a puzzled glare, "Uh, Kasumi always gets lobotomized every Wednesday. It's an addiction that she really needs to get help for."  
  
Nabiki stared at her sister.  
  
"Well, I'm bushed!" Akane stated, before hopping over to her sister's bed, and kissing her on the cheek, "Night night!"  
  
"B... bu... bu..." Nabiki stuttered, before regaining herself, "KODACHI! UKYO! SHAMPOO! WHAT THE HELL WAS WITH NODOKA?!?"  
  
Akane seemed to think about this, and held up her fingers to mark them off, "Kodachi's been studying contortionism, and got a bit carried away with the mallet exercise. Ukyo's just gotten into some REALLY kinky shit lately and went a bit too far, from the looks of it. Auntie Nodoka just doesn't seem to like you for some reason." Akane shrugged at the last one, and turned to walk out the room.  
  
"Wha, what about Shampoo?" Nabiki asked, feeling a migrane headache building.  
  
"Ah... heh..." Akane rocked on the balls of her feet, looking away innocently.  
  
"Nevermind, forget it, I just want to forget about it all," Nabiki said, tiredly, before glaring at her sister, "But you *will* answer for this."  
  
"Oh lighten up, Nabiki, it was only for fun!" Akane chided, before taking a deep breath, and starting to walk out the room.  
  
"Gee, looks like this whole twisted episode is all wrapped up, huh?" Nabiki said more to herself, but out loud.  
  
"Uh huh?" Akane replied, with her back turned, and then stated in a whisper, "But now I have to kill you."  
  
Nabiki looked up to her sister with a puzzled expression, "Huh?"  
  
"Nothing," Akane replied, before whispering, "Kill you dead."  
  
"What was that?"  
  
"Sorry, a bit of flem," Akane replied, sheepishly, before barking loudly, "DEAD!"  
  
"AKANE!"  
  
"What? I have allergies!"  
________________________  
  
Omake #4;  
  
"Nobody knowwwwwwwsu de turubu Ivu seen. Nobody knowwwwwwwsu de soruru. Nobody-"  
  
"WOULD YOU SHUT THE HELL UP!" One of the women in the cell next to her's screamed. Nodoka bristled, and put her harmonica away.  
  
"My word, the people here are just so rude!"  
________________________  
  
Omake #5  
  
"RANMA! THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!!!" Ryoga shouted, before shrugging, and going back to playing Tekken 4.  
  
Hey, he had to be in the story somewhere... I guess 


End file.
